A landlord received repeated warnings regarding improperly installed smoke alarms before a house fire in Queensland in 2023 that resulted in the deaths of a father and five children, a coroner has been told. Deputy state coroner Donald MacKenzie held a pre-inquest conference into the Russell Island deaths on Tuesday, 8 September 2026.
The court heard that no witness recalled hearing a smoke alarm during the fire, which broke out on 6 August 2023. The homeowner was fined $774 in 2024 for improper installation, which was the maximum penalty under Queensland law, though a conviction was not recorded.
The children's mother reportedly raised the issue of non-working smoke alarms with the owner, but no action was taken. The home's smoke alarms had also not been updated in compliance with 2017 laws applicable to tenancies renewed after January 2022, which mandate additional safety measures for alarms. The homeowner claimed unawareness of this legislative change.
The inquest, scheduled for 10 days in November, will hear from 16 witnesses. It will examine whether legally installed fire alarms could have prevented the deaths and if the emergency service response was adequate. The presence of additional emergency service resources on the island will also be considered.